I just returned from a lengthy cruise. The highlight of the cruise was advertised to be sailing up the Amazon as far as Manaus. I had previously spent time on the Amazon and it's tributaries in Peru  and Ecuador (Sacha Lodge). These areas were rich in wildlife and culture. Unfortunately the lower Amazon did not result in the same experiences. The Amazon is a mighty brown river which makes the likes of the  Hudson and  Rhine seem like streams in comparison. At the Atlantic, the Amazon at times is 200 miles wide and further upstream as wide as 15 miles. In short very impressive in size. However, there is not an abundance of wildlife on the river and the landscape is rather monotonous,  just mile after mile of dense jungle at the shoreline. Further, the city of Manaus, the largest on the Brazilian Amazon, aside from its famous opera house and the Eiffel designed market, is a rather typical third world small city. Under the circumstances "easy" photographic opportunities were few and whatever positive results were achieved required as much imagination and creativity as I could muster.